His Sister's Song
by Kitt Mouri
Summary: This is a short story that features two of my elves from the Shadow Wood Holt, Tam and Cricket. The tribe suffered a loss that the two siblings must come together to overcome and be there for each other to move on through the loss of a loved one.


**His Sister's Song**

**by Kitt Mouri (aka Tam)**

"Mama and Papa are gone?"

"…yes."

"When are they gonna come back?"

"They're not coming back."

"Oh…why?"

"Because…because when you die, you don't come back. You go to the place where your spirit longs to be…but that place is far from here."

"Where is it?"

"I don't know. I've never been to it, but it is beautiful."

"Really?"

"Yes. Mama told me so."

"Oh… Why did Mama and Papa die?"

The Shadow Wood was a hushed whisper as news of the two deaths quickly raced through the tribe. Archer, named for his excellent skill with a bow and Skyla, named as much for her captivating sky blue eyes as for her lilting voice, dulcet as any song bird, had been killed. A routine hunt that had gone horribly awry left the tribe with two less their number and two souls without their parents. On a hilled clearing overlooking the wood with the mountain pass standing proud and strong before them, sister and brother sat looking at the stars and sharing the day's lament.

"Everyone dies, Cricket." the maiden was saying to her younger sibling who sat nestled upon her lap. "Everything dies, eventually. The trees, the birds, the wolves…and even elves."

"Elves, too?" he repeated in disbelief.

"Yes…elves."

"Oh." he breathed. The child, barely three full turns of the seasons, sat quietly for a moment as he struggled to understand this new concept to him. He had never seen death, never had any reason to try and make sense of it. Yet, now he was being forced to grasp something that was completely unattainable…something that was wholly beyond him. It made little sense, this death, still, there was an unmistakable something that his young mind comprehend and it frightened him.

"T-…Tam?" his voice creaked.

"What is it?"

"Are you going to die, too?" he asked, his voice breaking into a sob.

"Oh…" she cooed, as she turned the child around and held him close to her beating heart. She touched his crimson locks, stroking his disturbed head lovingly as she continued. "Yes. One day when my time has ended here, I will lie down with the wolves and die with them."

"But, I don't want you to!" he cried, frantically, as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I don't want you to go! I want you to stay with me! I want you to stay…" he pleaded, crumbling against her soft form, wrapping his tiny arms around her.

His sister's eyes clouded over with moisture as her brother's plea pierced her heart. Yet, the promise of forever was a request that was beyond her. Not even the High Ones could have made such a thing true. …and yet…perhaps they had.

"Little brother…" she whispered, her words lost among the soft sobbing of the child's cries. **_Cricket._** her mind whispered to his.

**_…yes?_** his innocent thoughts returned.

**_I cannot promise you that I will not someday die, because the truth is that one day, I must._**

"Nooo…" he cried, burying his face in her scarlet curls clinging to her tightly, as thought doing so would somehow keep her with him forever and always.

Gently, she pulled the youth's tear-stained face from her hair and framed his cherub-cheeked visage within the warmth of her palms. **_Even though my body must one day grow old and die, my spirit is timeless and will live on forever. There is but one way that I can remain with you, always, even if you cannot see me._** she sent to him.

"You can?" he asked, eagerly.

She nodded. **_There is something that I am going to share with you, dear one, something that you must promise not to share with anyone else._**

"Okay! I won't tell nobody! I promise" he vowed.

Her smile shone down upon him with light and love. She tucked his chin upon her finger before she continued her words. **_Very well, my brother. This thing that I wish to share with you is only for your heart to hear. It is your sister's secret song and the link that will bind my soul to yours forever and all time. As long as you know the melody of my soul, we can always be together. Are you ready?_**

He nodded his head vigorously.

Then open your heart and listen closely for this is my most precious song.

In an instant, the child's heart and mind was filled with strength, love and warmth. He heard his sister's voice as he had never heard it before. It was ethereal and dulcet and marvelously beautiful. It was everything his sister was, everything he felt when he saw her, everything he knew when she held him close, everything he knew her to be. This melody was the lyric of her heart and soul and now, it was his song, too. One tune shared among two hearts now…and forever.

**_S-…Shan?_** his mind whispered to hers.

**_That's right my brother. I am…Shan._**


End file.
